1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paint rollers and to the cleaning of paint roller sleeves.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional paint rollers typically comprise a handle, a support frame attached to the handle, a roller rotatably carried by the frame. The roller is adapted to releasably receive a roller sleeve for applying paint to a surface. Although with some paint rollers the roller and the roller sleeve form a single component, most paint rollers are designed for use with removable roller sleeves. After using a paint roller, it is often desirable to clean the roller sleeve so that it can be used again. This is particularly true for high-end roller sleeves made of lamb's wool that are intended to be reused again and again.
There are many ways to clean roller sleeves; however, most methods fall into one of three categories: (1) removing the roller sleeve from the roller; (2) inserting the frame, roller, and roller sleeve into a separate cleaning apparatus; and (3) attaching a cleaning apparatus to the frame, roller, and/or roller sleeve. Although these types of cleaning methods have some advantages, there are significant disadvantages associated with each method. If the paint is allowed to dry on the roller sleeve, if all of the paint is not removed from the roller sleeve, or if the roller sleeve is not properly cleaned soon after each use, the roller sleeve must be discarded.
With regard to the first method of cleaning roller sleeves, the main disadvantage is that the roller sleeve must be removed from the roller, which is a time consuming and messy processes. There are many tools and machines currently available for cleaning a roller sleeve once it is removed from the roller. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,399 issued to Hannah discloses a hollow tubular housing having a freely rotatable support frame for holding a roller sleeve while the roller sleeve is cleansed. The Hannah system is inconvenient because a user must first handle the paint-filled roller sleeve to insert it into the housing.
With regard to the second method of cleaning roller sleeves, the main disadvantage is that the cleaning device is a separate apparatus that must be stored, cleaned, transported, and made available at the job location. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,862 issued on van Rooyen discloses a centrifugal roller sleeve cleaner having a cylindrical housing into which a portion of the frame, roller, and roller sleeve are inserted for cleaning. This system is inconvenient because the cleaner is a separate and distinct tool from the paint roller. The user must maintain the cleaning apparatus separately and transport it along with the paint rollers to the job location. If the van Rooyen system is inadvertently left away from the painting location where the paint-filled roller sleeves need to be cleaned, the user must either transport the paint-filled roller sleeves to the cleaning device or forego cleaning the applicators. This delay in cleaning the roller sleeve is problematic, because the roller sleeves become permanently damaged if the paint is not removed before the paint is allowed to dry.
With regard to the third method of cleaning roller sleeves, the main disadvantage is that the user must handle the paint-filled roller sleeve and the cleaning shield. These methods typically involve inserting a portion of the frame, the roller, and the roller sleeve into an attachable cleaning structure, so that the roller sleeve can be cleaned with an ordinary water hose. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,891 issued to Faustman discloses a cleaning structure that attaches to a paint roller to provide some shielding from paint, water, and other matter slung from the applicator as the applicator is cleaned. The Faustman device is inconvenient, because the user must handle both the paint-filled roller sleeve, the attached cleaning structure, and a water hose to implement the system. Therefore, the user is placed in very close proximity to the cleaning structure and is very likely to get sprayed with paint and water.
In addition to the above described disadvantages, all of the above methods of cleaning roller sleeves further share a number of additional disadvantages. One disadvantage in common to all of the above methods is that none of them are designed to reduce water and cleaning solution consumption. The above methods of cleaning roller sleeves typically use much more water and/or cleaning solution to clean the sleeve than truly necessary. For example, it is not uncommon for a painter to use fifteen gallons or more of water and/or cleaning solution while cleaning a single roller sleeve. Further, the above methods of cleaning roller sleeves are designed for use after the painting process has concluded. The above methods of cleaning roller sleeves are not well suited for cleaning roller sleeves quickly and for the purpose of using the roller sleeves again during the same painting process. The above methods of cleaning roller sleeves typically take long periods of time to fully clean the roller sleeves.
For example, the above methods are not well suited for multiple quick cleaning of the roller sleeves in some of the above methods because the roller sleeve must be removed from the paint roller and placed within a separate cleaning mechanism, taking additional time. Again, where the roller sleeve and frame must be inserted into a separate apparatus for cleaning, the paint roller may need to be transported to the location of the cleaning apparatus, taking additional time.
Another disadvantage shared by all of the above methods for cleaning roller sleeves is that they include complicated steps and require training to use the cleaning devices. For example, where a roller sleeve must be removed from the paint roller and inserted into a cleaning apparatus, the user must be trained on how to properly remove the roller sleeve, how to insert the sleeve into the cleaning apparatus, how to activate the cleaning process, how to remove the sleeve from the cleaning device, and how to reattach the sleeve to the paint roller. Many of the steps above are difficult and cost the user additional time.
Although the foregoing methods represent great strides in the area of paint roller cleaners, considerable shortcomings remain.